


Try

by SisterDuffin



Category: Casualty (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 05:17:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20615606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SisterDuffin/pseuds/SisterDuffin
Summary: Duffy would rather work New Year’s Eve rather than sitting alone, at her hotel, downing her sorrows. Whilst working, she might just get a surprise visitor. [Prompt used: 'come with me?']





	Try

The grass was slightly damp as she settled herself down in the peace garden, a plastic coffee mug in her hands. It was New Years Eve and she’d volunteered to work, it was better than sitting in an empty hotel room and downing her sorrows.

She sipped the coffee and looked up at the sky. Luckily the rain had stopped for a few hours and she hoped it would stay dry, especially whilst she spent her half an hour break outside. For New Years Eve, it was currently quiet - but Duffy often knew in these cases it was quite often; the calm before the storm. She sighed, closing her eyes momentarily. Her plans to bring in 2019 had consisted of a walk along the river with Charlie, perhaps a meal and a few drinks. Plans that hadn’t gone accordingly when her and Charlie had separated a few weeks before Christmas.

She sipped the coffee again, taking in the silence around her. It wasn’t often that the hospital had silence, even in the dead of the night there was some noise or movement around. She was lost in thought temporarily, a tip of her finger running around the lid of her cup.

“Duffy?”

A small frown appeared on her features as she heard her name being called. She looked up, her eyes widening when she realised who it was.

“What are you doing here? You’re not working tonight.”

Charlie smiled sadly as he sat down on the grass beside her. There was a comfortable silence between the two of them, something that they were grateful of. There was no awkward silences, no tension between the two of them.

“I… I wanted to see if you were ok.” He admitted. He should’ve stopped caring weeks ago when they separated but he couldn’t. Feelings weren’t a switch, he couldn’t stop caring because she’d hurt him. Not now, not after they shared some special moments together.

She smiled sadly, “I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?” It was a silly answer to an equally silly question. She wasn’t ok. She was empty, lost without her anchor in life.

“Are you?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore, I’m not your problem.” It sounded so final, the words she had chosen. The words caused Charlie’s heart to break further; she would always be his problem wouldn’t she? She’d always had been. Even when they were simply _friends_.

“That’s not true.” He answered and then sighed. Duffy shrugged, wasn’t it? He was the one who’d told her he’d given up. He was the one who told her he couldn’t fight anymore. It wasn’t her. She’d made a mistake but she was willing to fight for their marriage. He clearly wasn’t, was he?

“I don’t want to argue, Charlie.” She told him. She was tired. Her sleep pattern was hit and miss and she was working nights. She didn’t have the energy to argue tonight, not when she still had eight hours left off her shift to complete.

“Neither do I.” Charlie admitted. He hadn’t come here to argue, to rip her apart or to make things difficult.

“Then why are you here?”

There was another comfortable silence. Duffy finished her coffee and placed the empty cup down by her side. She turned her head to look at Charlie, met his gaze and smiled sadly. Charlie’s eyes met with hers and his heart skipped a beat, her eyes were beautiful. Unique. Always able to cause butterflies deep in his stomach.

“I’d booked a table at the Time Garden. For dinner tomorrow.” He paused, “I… um, booked it… a few weeks ago…”

“Ok.”

Duffy didn’t want to get her hopes up, that he was going to ask her what she thought. She knew she didn’t deserve his kindness nor his love after everything she had done. She did understand why he’d given up. Wasn’t giving up easier then fighting? Giving up easier then learning to trust her again?

“I… um, would you come with me?”

Her heart fluttered at his question. Was he really asking her on a date?

“Is this a sort of date?” She asked shyly as she remet his gaze. He caught her eye again and smiled. Was it a sort of date? Was he asking her out for dinner so they could perhaps repair the damage, repair their marriage?

“Yes… um, if you like?”

She nodded, a small smile appearing on her face.

“I’d like that.”

“Me too.”

There was another comfortable silence as they both collected their thoughts and feelings over the latest revelations. For Duffy, did this mean Charlie was trying to find it in his heart to forgive her?

“Charlie?”

“Yes?”

She lent over and gently kissed his cheek. He didn’t move nor did he say a thing as her lips met his cheek. However, he did close his eyes. He never thought he’d ever feel her lips against his skin again.

“Thank you.” She whispered.


End file.
